The present invention relates generally to hunting game calls that rely on friction to produce game sounds. More particularly, this invention relates to friction producing material that is applied to the working surfaces of these calls to enable these calls to produce the desired game sounds.
Chalk is described in the prior art as a common requirement for the proper function of game calls that depend on friction to produce game sounds. Prior art suggests that one should apply chalk in liberal amounts to the working surfaces of the call. A few examples of friction game calls and examples of how chalk is used in connection with them are give in the following patents: U.S. Pat. No. 574,534 (Gibson), U.S. Pat. No. 4,343,108 (Lee), U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,858 (Hall), U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,641 (Hearn et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,845 (Piper), U.S. Pat. No. 5,066,260 (Lindler), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,235 (Forbes et al.). The disclosures of these patents are incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth. These examples reveal a time frame for the use of chalk dating from 1897 until modern time. One would expect that thousands of these game calls could be found in use today, and any improvement on chalk would be welcome to the users of these game calls.
Chalk is typically an artificially prepared pure calcium carbonate, and is a variety of limestone that is composed almost entirely of calcite. Chalk is typically a soft limestone and can be ground by hand. It is typically formed from deposited calcareous mud and hence is extremely fine in texture. In a dry state chalk particles are packed close together and the chalk object is a solid. In this state the particles produce friction as they slide against one another. This friction produces sound when it is compressed and rubbed between two pieces of wood such as that employed in a friction game call. Chalk offers a number of advantages and works well under the some conditions. Still, using chalk with a friction game call has a number of disadvantages. For example, one major disadvantage of using chalk as a friction material for friction game calls is that chalk typically performs poorly or not at all in wet conditions. Water acts as a lubricant between the chalk particles. If there is plenty of water, such as on a rainy day, the chalk particles can slide past one another without difficulty. In such a case, there is not enough friction to produce sound when working a game call. Therefore, a friction game call typically cannot be used on a rainy day when chalk is used.
The use of rosin (from resin) of the kind used on violin bows was not overlooked by xe2x80x9cturn of the centuryxe2x80x9d friction game call users and even call users today. Both rosin (a hard resin left after distilling off the volatile oil of turpentine) and resin (from plant origin) have been used as a friction producing material on wooden friction game calls. Mainly in order to improve their use during rainy and wet conditions. Both are soluble in organic solvents but not in water. Both are sticky and objectionable for use by most users that care about preserving the good condition and appearance of their wooden friction game calls. Organic solvents are sometimes employed to thin these materials so that they can be painted on the wooden surfaces in liquid form. It is possible for these solvents to cause wood to crack or split much as water would. For these reasons, the use of rosin or resin material on wooden friction game calls has been very limited and not widely accepted by owners of these calls.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,492 (Davis), a ceramic bisque disc attached to a vane is described. The disclosure of this patent is incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth. A wooden striker end is rubbed endwise against the surface of this disc to produce friction that results in sound vibrations that resemble game sounds. This call will work in the rain. However, this hard ceramic bisque disc must be sanded often in order to work as does disc materials such as slate, glass, aluminum, etc. that do not work in the rain or when they become slick from handling. A wooden striker end that has embedded particles from rubbing against a ceramic bisque disc will typically retain it""s wet friction working capability for only a few short strokes when rubbed against a disc made of other slate like materials. Particles from these other materials would rapidly cover over or top off the hard ceramic particles embedded in the striker end and the calls would cease to work wet. Regardless of whether the striking surface of a peg and slate type call is composed of slate, glass, aluminum, or similar materials, peg and slate type game calls in use today are typically without wet working and slick working capability when the much preferred wooden strikers are employed. The same is true for glass and aluminum calls when wooden strikers are used.
Further still, a hunter will typically have plenty of other gear to buy and to carry while hunting. It is therefore undesirable for a hunter to have to buy and carry different chalks, boxes, striker rods or pegs, or striking surfaces to use depending upon possible changes in weather conditions.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a chalk-like friction material and a method of making and using the same for use in connection with a wide variety of friction game calls under a wide variety of conditions.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a friction material of the above type that works well when wet.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a friction material of the above type that can deliver a superior friction layer for overlaying the surface of existing friction game calls.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a friction material of the above type that can deliver a superior friction layer ideally suited for existing striker pegs of peg and slate type friction game calls.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a friction material of the above type that, when delivered to a non-friction surface, will tend to cling to that surface to form a thin friction layer.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a friction material of the above type that will allow friction surfaces of a existing slate type calls to be replaced with non-friction surfaces.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a friction material of the above type that provides friction even when it friction surfaces become slick from being handled with the hands or from being rubbed against clothing as they are being carried.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a friction material of the above type that provides friction for game calls when they become damp or wet from being exposed to fog or rain when in use.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a friction material of the above type that can be used in all weather conditions for all game calls that rely on friction for producing game sounds.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a friction material of the above type that is inexpensive, easy to carry, easy to use, and easy to manufacture.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a friction material of the above type that provides different compositions or concentrations of materials in a single, easy to carry and store device.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a friction material of the above type that eliminates the need to buy or carry different components or parts for using friction game calls in different conditions.
Toward the fulfillment of these and other objects and advantages, a game call friction material is disclosed. Airfloated clay powder is heated to a temperature of greater than approximately 1112xc2x0 F. to form a calcined clay powder that is then mixed with water and a carrier such as plaster and set to form a solid mass. The volume ratio of plaster to calcined clay in the solid mass is approximately 150:1. The solid mass preferably has a cavity with a second mass of calcined clay and plaster disposed therein. The volume ratio of calcined clay to plaster in the second mass is approximately 3:1. The solid mass is rubbed against a friction game call, depositing calcined clay particles and plaster particles thereon. The calcined clay particles form friction layers on the relevant surfaces of the friction game calls. The plaster helps to dry the friction game call surfaces and to form the friction layers on the friction game call surfaces.